Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and chose to bat in the Ban vs West Indies Test in Mirpur. Veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim was ruled out with a finger injury he sustained in training.
Towhid Hridoy takes Mushfiqur's place in the side, Prothom Alo English reported. Hridoy made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in June and scored an unbeaten 350 for Bangladesh A during their tour of South Africa in August.
The change comes as Bangladesh begin a demanding stretch in the World Test Championship. They are fourth in the standings and must win at least four of their remaining six Tests in the current cycle to reach the final, according to Prothom Alo English. The Mirpur match is the first of those six.
Mushfiqur Rahim injury: X-rays clear, but left out of the XI
Mushfiqur hurt his right index finger during Tuesday morning's practice session, Prothom Alo English reported. The newspaper said he was in considerable pain and returned to the dressing room with tape wrapped around the finger. He did not bat again during the session.
X-rays showed no serious damage, and he had been considered available for selection on Tuesday night, the outlet reported. The 38-year-old was still left out of the playing XI.
It is the second consecutive Test against the West Indies that Mushfiqur has missed. He was also absent through injury from Bangladesh's last Test against them, on the 2024 tour of the Caribbean, according to Prothom Alo English.
The report did not say how long the finger is expected to take to heal. It also did not say whether he will be available for the rest of the series.
Towhid Hridoy's Test chance and the Bangladesh XI vs West Indies
Hridoy has one Test cap, from the match against Zimbabwe in June. His unbeaten 350 for Bangladesh A in South Africa two months later is the form behind his inclusion in the middle order. The Mirpur Test is his first chance to carry it into Test cricket.
Bangladesh have picked two fast bowlers, Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud, alongside three specialist spinners, Prothom Alo English reported.
The two sides named the following teams:
- Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Tanzid Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam
- West Indies: Jonathan Campbell, Brandon King, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kavem Hodge, Amir Jangoo (wicketkeeper), Roston Chase (captain), Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Jayden Seales
Roston Chase leads the West Indies. Amir Jangoo keeps wicket.
Can Bangladesh still reach the World Test Championship final?
Bangladesh can still reach the final, but their margin for error is small. Fourth place in the table keeps them in contention. To qualify, they need at least four wins from their last six Tests of the cycle, according to Prothom Alo English.
Shanto said on Tuesday that his attention was on the match at hand rather than on the prospect of reaching the World Test Championship final, the newspaper reported.
The West Indies arrive with less at stake. They are eighth in the standings. According to Prothom Alo English, finishing the cycle in the top five would meet their immediate ambitions and bring extra financial benefits.
That leaves the two teams chasing different targets in the same match. Bangladesh are trying to keep a place in the final within reach. The visitors are trying to climb the table without the same pressure to qualify.
What the Mirpur Test result means for the six-Test target
The arithmetic sets the stakes for the opening match. A Bangladesh win in Mirpur would leave them needing at least three wins from their remaining five Tests.
Any other result would leave them needing four wins from five.